WASHINGTON (June 20) – The German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) is pleased to announce the official launch of the Richard G. Lugar Institute for Diplomacy and Congress. The Lugar Diplomacy Institute will work to change the way the United States Congress relates to the international community by improving communication and understanding between the Washington diplomatic corps and Congress.

The occasion was marked by a reception on June 19 in the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Room, the chamber over which Senator Lugar presided twice during his tenure as chairman of that committee.

Senator Lugar was joined by founding country members of the Lugar Diplomacy Institute —  Ambassador Srdjan Darmanovic of Montenegro, Ambassador Rachad Bouhlal of Morocco, and founding partner Wolfgang Pordzik of DHL — to celebrate the launch. Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, offered a heartfelt toast to Lugar, who himself made remarks on the importance of international engagement by lawmakers. Maia Comeau, director of the Institute, laid out the Institute’s vision for supporting and improving diplomacy in Washington.

The event was attended by senators, members of the House of Representatives, and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.

Craig Kennedy, president of GMF, commented, “GMF’s work is becoming increasingly global, beyond the traditional transatlantic frame. The Lugar Institute’s mission of strengthening ties between diplomats and lawmakers in Washington fills a great need to support robust diplomacy in a complex globalized world. We are pleased to launch this initiative in the spirit of the Marshall Plan.”

Please contact: Anne McGinn, [email protected], +1 202 683 2676

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The German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) strengthens transatlantic cooperation on regional, national, and global challenges and opportunities in the spirit of the Marshall Plan.

GMF does this by supporting individuals and institutions working in the transatlantic sphere, by convening leaders and members of the policy and business communities, by contributing research and analysis on transatlantic topics, and by providing exchange opportunities to foster renewed commitment to the transatlantic relationship.